Hi. When I was taking my first Wilton class in Feb 2010, I was just winning a six month battle with ants in my home. I didn't even make my own icing until mid-March; just bought the Wilton tubs. All my food or food trash was in fridge/freezer/ant-proof containers.
My kitchen is scrupulously clean, but I live in fear and try to minimize the powdered sugar dust clouds and spillage as much as possible.

I sift my icing with a metal seive strainer that I tap over a 5 quart bowl. I put a damp tea towel over my KA except for the pouring shield spout, but my bowl opening is too wide and I end up spilling PS outside the pouring shield--if I use a smaller bowl I can't sift properly. I just saw a Flex-it Silicone 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set on Williams Sonoma, is that the way to go? The only way I've been able to avoid the majority of the dust cloud and spills is NOT to sift and pour directly from the bag with a corner cut off. But I want to sift! Any solutions?

Have you tried using a crank sifter? You have more control of where the product is going when you sift it because you are not moving/banging the sifter. Here is an example: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P68GPA/?tag=cakecentral-20

By the way, when I am adding sifted powdered sugar directly into my KA mixing bowl, I usually do one of the following
- Sift the sugar into a separate bowl and then pour the sifted sugar from that bowl into the mixing bowl.
or
- Take the mixing bowl off of the KA stand and sift directly over the mixing bowl. Once I am done sifting the desired amount of sugar, place the mixing bowl back on the stand and proceed mixing.

I sift onto a paper plate then bend the plate so it funnels into my KA. I always make sure the mixer is off to keep down the dust clouds. My KA head doesn't lift and the pouring shield is useless for me so this is the best way I've found to get stuff in there.

First I sift my PS thru a metal sieve into a large bowl. Then I measure what I need into gallon size ziplock baggies. The baggies are pretty easy to pour thru the small opening of the kitchen aid shield without spilling. Also, since i hate sifting so much, I will sift all I need before making icing.

sift onto a pan liner, center all of it then, fold up one end sort of burrito style while somewhat coning the other end...if I have to sift more, straighten out and reuse. can use the same one for sifting dry ingredients for cakes (can use for cake ingredients after powdered sugar...I wouldn't use it for icing after cake ingredients though.) when done, can use to cut pan shapes to use to line your cake pans...giving that one liner full use.

For ants I use the liquid Terro. It starts working in a day.

Sift onto a flexible cutting board or parchment paper. There's really no way to totally avoid the poof with a KA.

I have a Bosch mixer as well as my KA and it is absoltuley poof-proof. It's gear driven from the bottom of the bowl and is completly covered. It's not a cheap mixer, but IMHO for what I put it through, it's a bargain.

You guys are brilliant and I will try all those suggestions and see what works best for my little kitchen and KA. Thank you so much! When I was starting out, I asked my Wilton teacher "how do you get the coupler out of the disposable bag without getting frosting all over your fingers and hands?" She just laughed and said, "You don't!" I guess it's the same way with powdered sugar. But leave it to you folks to make it as easy as it can be!! I love you guys (sniff, sniff...tissue to my eyes)

jmr531, thanks, but I can sift ok, it's just getting the darned stuff in the KA once sifted. The wire mesh strainer works good for me since I have a touch of carpal tunnel.
julzs71- the Terro traps were what finally worked! Terro is amazing! I have a standby supply on hand now.
KansasLaura, I've been meaning to tell you for a while that your avatar cracks me up.

I sift into a separate bowl using a superduper fine drum sieve. Then I add about half to the whipped butter, cover the entire KA with a tea towel and hold it round the top of the bowl and switch that sucker on! Once the sugar is incorporated, I remove the tea towel. Repeat for each addition of icing sugar. I bought one of those KA pourer cover things and find it utterly useless.

I have has trouble with ants periodically, so I do sacrifice a clean tea towel each time I make icing, LOL!

I didn't read all the post so if I'm repeating I apologize.

Because the the PS cloud & I get awful PS headaches (yep you read it right) I started sifting into a VERY large "tupperware" bowl at my stove with the exhaust fan on high. When I'm ready to add the PS to the butter mixture (for buttercream) I remove the KA bowl from the stand add "X" cups of PS & STIR with a spoon (long plastic, looks like a wooden spoon, style) (still at the stove with the fan on) Back on the KA it goes, after that is incorporated & it's time to add more I take it back off & repeat. I have learned that doing this, plus having a wet dish towel (no little dish cloth, lol) to wipe with has helped alot. (I also do cake the same way, a quick stir with the spoon & onto the KA, no flying flour & such)

My hubby bought me my KA as a gift & also got me the shield, I hated it, I don't use it at all.

Good luck.